Hey y'all, sorry for the wait. I was gonna have this up earlier, but I've had a really rough week. I'm mostly okay now though, and should be writing more again soon.
Man oh man, and you guys thought the Riesenross chapter was long XD This is so long, in fact, that I chopped off the final scene to make into its own chapter, because otherwise I could very well breach 10k. (I have to still write that bit though lol) Either way, hopefully this will be a fun read for y'all!
Also I have officially breached 100k, WOOT
Wes trudged home after a very, very long day. He'd had two exams, a research paper to cram for, and practice had run long due to an upcoming game. Needless to say, he was absolutely beat.
He was only vaguely surprised to see Walter's car in the driveway; while it was rare, his dad did, on occasion, get home before him. Wes smiled.
He kicked his shoes off by the door, bag awkwardly slung over his shoulder. "Dad, I'm home!"
But there was no response. Wes cocked his head, and peeked into the kitchen. Sometimes Walter would prepare dinner if he was home early enough, or would at least order out. But Wes couldn't smell anything cooking, nor was his dad inside.
Wes mentally shrugged. Walter was often tired after work, since he usually worked overtime or doubles. It wasn't uncommon for him to go straight to bed.
Only, his bedroom door was still open when Wes trekked down the hallway. He always closed it when he was trying to sleep. And poking his head through the open doorway showed no signs of him, although his suit jacket was draped over his office chair.
So Walter had been here. Then where was he now? He wasn't running errands, because he'd left his car. He wouldn't have walked anywhere, would he? He didn't like staying on his feet when he didn't have to.
Wes was almost worried. Almost. Maybe Walter had just decided to go for a walk around the block. Sitting in a chair for several hours a day didn't exactly do your legs any favors. In that case, then surely he would be home any moment now.
Reassured by this thought, Wes went to his room, intent on making something to eat and retiring for the night. But first, he really needed to rest his legs. He tossed his bag to the floor, throwing himself backwards onto his bed, only to wince when something crumpled under him.
Intrigued, Wes reached under himself, fishing out the object he had landed on. It was a piece of paper, wrinkled from his weight, with something attached to it. An article cutout from his theory board?
Wes studied the paper, and slowly, his curious frown became slack-jawed horror. The paper fluttered to the floor as he dropped it. He leapt to his feet, transformed, and took to the air at record speeds, flying through the roof and rushing off.
Because on that paper, there were only two things: an address, and a picture of Walter.
({O})
It was no time at all before Wes arrived at the listed location, drifting through the wall both invisibly and intangibly. He had no clue who or what he was dealing with, and he wasn't keen on getting caught early if it turned out to be a trap. Because that's most likely what it was. A trap. Wes didn't think he had anything worthwhile to ransom, at any rate.
The building he found himself in was a strange one. The outside of it had been plain, rectangular with a few windows here and there. And the inside wasn't that much more interesting. It seemed to be an old warehouse, boxes and freight cars stacked almost to the ceiling in places. The concrete floors were dusty and littered with rat droppings. The ceiling was dotted with hanging lights, only half of which had bulbs, and none of which were lit. Wes's only saving grace in the dark was that his eyes weren't quite human; he was sure he would be just about blind otherwise.
This place clearly hadn't been used in a long time. Why would someone bring his dad here?
Drifting along slowly, Wes scoured the building, swaying around half-empty crates and piles of what he was pretty sure were sandbags. Or, he hoped it was sand, at least.
Oh, Wes was so prepared to tear someone a new one if anything had happened to his dad.
But, it seemed, that wouldn't be necessary. Wes soon found him somewhere near the center of the warehouse, wandering with his head swinging around like he was looking for something. The exit, maybe?
Wes all but melted with relief. He flew forwards, slipping back into the visible spectrum with his arms outstretched. "Dad! Dad, you're okay!"
Walter turned, matching Wes's energy with a wide grin of his own. He knelt down, spreading his arms wide to receive his embrace. His eyes shimmered with what Wes at first assumed was joy.
Only, they weren't supposed to be red.
Wes withdrew like he'd been scalded moments before contact, tail snapping back and upper lip exposing his sharp fangs. "...Who are you?"
"Walter" languidly rose to his feet, no longer bothering with his facade. His smile, up close, gleamed with something predatory. He cocked his head, clasping his hands behind his back as he took his first steps forward. "Well isn't this rather unexpected? Here I was planning to use your little secret as leverage against you, but it seems like your father must already know, for you to so readily expose yourself... Wesley."
"Don't call me that," Wes gnashed, backing up evenly with the stranger's pace. "Who are you? What do you want from me? How do you know who I am?"
"So many questions," the impostor crooned, almost in singsong. He continued to advance, backing Wes up against a crate. "Who I am doesn't matter. How I know you doesn't matter. But there is something you can do for me."
Wes phased through the crate. He was only mildly surprised when the fake followed him, passing through the box like it wasn't there. It barely even rippled in his wake. "Why should I do anything for you? I don't know who you are, but if you don't give my dad back right this second I'll-"
"You'll what? Hurt me?" the ghost mocked. He cackled. "You forget so easily. This is your father's body I'm inhabiting. You can't hurt me, but you can most certainly hurt him, and I know for a fact you aren't strong enough to come in here and overpower me. And even if you tried, well. I'm sure you could only imagine the kind of harm I could do in here if you decide to try anything funny."
Wes bristled. His aura spiked around his shoulders, crackling with unreleased electricity. He was sure his malice was rolling off of him in waves. Though, of course, it did nothing to deter the kidnapper. "...What. Do you want."
"I want Daniel," the ghost replied, leaning back with an easy smile.
"I don't know a Daniel," Wes growled.
"Don't play coy, Wesley," the ghost sneered. "Daniel. Danny Phantom. I know he won't come of his own free will, so I need you to bring him to me, by whatever means necessary. Though, if you can convince him to come willingly, alone, then that would be all the better."
"And if I don't?" Wes challenged. "...Or can't?"
"Then you may as well say your farewells to your father now," the impostor guffawed. "So, what will it be? Your friend, or your father?"
Wes didn't answer. He couldn't. How did you choose something like that?
But the fake didn't require a response. "...You have twenty-four hours. Either bring him here, alive, or have him come alone. If you or any of his friends decide to play heroes, then I'll make sure you never see Walter in one piece again. Do I make myself clear?"
"...Crystal."
The ghost's grin was all teeth. "Splendid. Then I'll see you tomorrow, Wesley... or, not." And with that, he slipped through the floor, glaring with a menacing sneer until his head, too, disappeared.
The moment he was gone, all of Wes's righteous bravado disappeared, leaving him wilting and exhausted. He was faced with an impossible dilemma, one which brought danger to both of the people he held most dear. He couldn't dare a rescue, not when he didn't know who or what he was dealing with. Not when his father was at the mercy of a being he knew nothing about.
Wes mentally braced himself, taking to the air. He had a choice to make.
({O})
Danny, Sam, and Tucker made their way into FentonWorks, thoroughly drained. The three of them had chased Youngblood all over town, the tot having decided to play fireman that day and wreaking havoc all over. Only, he'd taken the duty of fireman very literally.
It was definitely a good thing Danny had ice powers.
Danny threw himself onto the bed by his back, and his friends soon followed, Sam belly flopping by his side while Tucker did the same on Danny's legs. They all sighed in unison.
"Man, who knew a kid with a skeleton dog could get around so fast?" Tucker moaned.
"Tell me about it," Sam wheezed. "And whose genius idea was it to give him a flamethrower?"
"Probably the same guy who gave him a sentient shapeshifting skeleton," groaned Danny.
Again, everyone sighed.
A shock of cold air was all the warning Danny got before he was grabbed, arms snagging him around the shoulders. He squawked in alarm, too startled to do more than flail with heavy, uncoordinated limbs.
Sam and Tucker got to their feet, spinning around. Tucker scrambled for the thermos at Danny's hip, while Sam armed something mounted on her wrist and aimed.
Danny didn't even have to look over his shoulder to know who his attacker was. The air hummed with pent-up energy, the hairs on his arms raising and twinkling with unshed power. Blue light cast deep shadows on his sleeves.
"Wes? What… What are you doing?" Danny couldn't find it in him to be scared, or even angry. All he felt was confusion at this unexpected attack.
Wes didn't answer, gritting his teeth against his friend's meager struggles. But Sam and Tucker weren't nearly as lenient as Danny was being, keeping their respective weapons trained on the young Halfa.
"Let him go," Sam instructed sternly.
"Yeah," Tucker chimed in. "You may be our friend, but that doesn't mean you can go around attacking our other friend. What gives?"
Wes paid them no mind. They wouldn't shoot, not with him so close to Danny. Why wasn't Danny fighting? Here Wes was, threatening to dump at least a couple megawatts into him, and he wasn't even trying all that hard to get away. Wes knew he couldn't hurt Danny if he didn't want to get hurt. Was this trust? Confidence? A bluff?
Or did he just know Wes didn't want to hurt him?
With a shaky sigh, Wes released him, his glow dying out as he reigned his power back in. He sat at the edge of the bed, cradling his forehead in his hands. "...I can't do it. I just can't do it."
"...Do what?" Sam demanded. "Betray Danny?"
Danny sat up, scooting to the end of the mattress so that he could sidle up to Wes. "...Hey. What's going on? It isn't like you to just jump me out of the blue like that."
"Not anymore, you mean," said Tucker. Sam and Danny looked at him. "...What? Just saying."
"A ghost has my dad," Wes blurted out. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do."
"Hold on, what?" Danny leaned in, suddenly a lot more alert than he was five minutes ago. "You're saying your dad got kidnapped? Who was it?"
"I don't know," Wes choked. He looked to be on the verge of tears. "He was overshadowing dad, so I don't know who he was. Red eyes? And he was strong. I couldn't do anything without him hurting dad, and he said I had to give you to him tomorrow or else, and-"
"Dude, slow down," Tucker admonished. "You said a ghost held your dad ransom for Danny?"
"Wish I could say this didn't sound familiar," said Sam, expression like steel.
"...Familiar?" Wes parroted, hopeful. Familiar was promising. "Do you know who he is? How do we stop him?"
"Unfortunately, stopping him might be the hard part," Danny grunted. He scowled. "Sounds like you're dealing with Vlad."
"...Masters?" Wes clarified. He got three sets of stony looks. "The mayor? But he isn't a ghost, is he?" His confidence dwindled. "He is, isn't he... So, wait, you guys are telling me he isn't a cheese vampire?"
That was just left-field enough to bring the trio out of their brooding stupor. "...A what?!" Danny finally had the presence of mind to blurt out. "I thought you were joking about that at the party!"
"No, they really do exist, and the mayor's gotta be one!" Wes exclaimed. "Only comes out on cloudy days, pale as death, dresses like he's from the 1900s, and only ever eats exotic imported cheeses? Seriously, have you ever seen him eat anything that wasn't dairy?"
"This really isn't what we should be worried about right now," Tucker cut in. "Vlad's got your dad, and we need a plan to get him back."
"Does it involve getting to beat the tar out of the mayor?" Wes piped up hopefully. He gave Danny a sideways glance. "...Or are you gonna tell me he's out of my league?"
"Well, he is," Danny pointed out, "and normally I would say taking him on is a bad idea." At Wes's indignant look, he grinned. "But, since your dad is on the line, and it's Vlad, I think we can make an exception."
({O})
The four met up the following afternoon, right after school. Danny and Wes had flown ahead, while Sam and Tucker caught up on their scooters. The four of them gathered where the warehouse was barely a pinprick in the distance. Nobody dared to get too close lest they get spotted.
"Looks like we're all here," said Tucker, skidding to a stop and removing his helmet.
"So how about a refresher of the plan?" Sam asked, more for the benefit of the group than her own.
"Right," Danny began. "So the most important thing is that Vlad needs to think I'm coming alone. If I act like Wes convinced me, and not like he brought me here, then he shouldn't bother with looking for you. He's probably got the place crawling with duplicates, but if he thinks I came to him wanting to actually join him, he might be excited enough to dismiss them. So because of that, we're all going to sneak behind the building, invisible. And Wes, since you aren't strong enough to carry either of them that far, I'll carry them both, and then have you extend your invisibility to them so I can go back around the front. Can you manage that?"
"Are you kidding? I was practicing all night just to make sure I could," Wes scoffed. "I got this." Danny nodded his approval.
"After that, we need to get inside, all without setting off any alarms," Tucker continued. "The building itself shouldn't be bugged, but wherever Vlad's keeping your dad is bound to be rigged. We can get inside using your intangibility, but we need to stay invisible until we figure out whether or not there's cameras. And that's where I come in." He brandished a small device, a modified PDA with obnoxious Tesla-esque antennae. "This should remotely deactivate any surveillance equipment he has, granted none of it is running on ectoenergy. And if any of it is, well, then we've probably found where he's hiding your dad."
"Tucker can manually override any tech running on ectoenergy, if he has to," Sam added. "But all that's gonna be the easy part. I'm willing to bet that Vlad's got ghost-repelling restraints directly on your dad, probably either a shield or a deflector, and there's a good chance they're alarmed. Meaning, you're not gonna wanna touch them. At least, not as a ghost."
"And since anti-ghost tech that doesn't use plain electricity actually hurts you," Danny interjected, "we can't take the chance that you'll just sap his restraints and be done with it."
"Either Tucker hacks it," Sam went on, "or I brute force it. After that, you get your dad and us out the way we came in, and then you and Danny can double-team Vlad."
"Alright, this sounds like a solid plan," said Wes. "...Almost too solid. Way more thorough than you guys usually do. Is Vlad seriously that tough?"
"Trust me, he is not the kind of guy you wanna take any chances with," Tucker replied. "You gotta think outside the box with him, because odds are, he's gonna be five steps ahead of you no matter what you do. And this time, he's using your dad as collateral. We can't afford to take it easy."
It was a harsh reminder, but a much needed one. Wes's eyes glinted red. "Alright. I'm ready."
The trio nodded, and Danny scooped his friends up, one clinging to him from each shoulder. He heaved them up like they were weightless, leaving them perched somewhat precariously on his shoulders.
Wes tried not to get flustered at the sight. He really tried.
"Let's go," Danny said. He went invisible, Sam and Tucker incidentally following suit. Wes took that as his cue to do the same, and the four of them flew towards the distant warehouse.
The quartet landed at the far side of the building, and Danny made a quiet noise to get Wes's attention. He looked over, and saw nothing, of course. And yet all the same, he knew almost exactly where Danny was. Nothing was visibly perceptible, but there was something off about the space he occupied. It was like looking at a photograph with a camouflaged animal; even if you couldn't find it, you knew it had to be there somewhere.
Still, it was hardly a measurement of precision. Mercifully, Danny let his visibility briefly flicker, just enough for Wes to catch a glimpse of Sam and Tucker. He found their shoulders, and once he did, Danny relinquished control of their cloak onto him. Wes's core heaved, leaving his friends to appear for fractions of a second, before it finally transferred its energy over to them. All three of them were completely invisible, at least for now. Wes could tell by the weight in his chest that he was only going to manage for so long.
Something in the air shifted, and Wes just knew, somehow, that Danny had rounded the corner back to the front. That was their cue to move. "We better hurry," Wes whispered. "I don't think I can hold this more than a couple minutes."
He felt them nod more than he could see it, and without another word, they slipped into the building through the wall. Wes looked both ways, but he could see little save for the freight boxes from before. Though, out of the corner of his eye, he could see an odd, ethereal sort of light, partially obscured by a stack of girders. Getting closer to better peer between the gaps, he realized it was Danny, floating across from a more imposing ghost.
Plasmius, to be precise.
"Well if it isn't Daniel, right on time," he drawled. "Have you come alone? Or should I assume your little friends are prowling about somewhere?"
"I came alone," Danny assured him, voice even. And dang, if Wes hadn't literally been one of the people he was lying about, he would be pretty tempted to believe him. "It's just, Watt really got me thinking, you know? He can be pretty convincing when he wants to be."
"Is that right?" Plasmius was clearly not inclined to trust him. "And how am I to know this isn't just some attempt to trick me, or that you won't betray me once you have what you want? It would hardly be the first time."
"Honestly, Vlad, have you no faith in me?" Danny put a hand to his chest, looking quite offended. "I come to you ready to renounce dad... I mean Jack, and here you are trying to turn me away? For shame. Maybe I should just go, if you don't want my loyalty after all…"
And he turned to do just that. "Wait!" Plasmius blurted, hand outstretched. When Danny faced him again, he retracted his hand, grinning anxiously. "Now let's not be hasty and jump to any conclusions, shall we? If you mean what you say, then I would be remiss not to hear you out, heh..."
Danny put a finger to his chin, pretending to mull the offer over. "...Alright, if you really mean it. So, what do you want me to list off first? All the reasons Jack stinks, or all the reasons living with you would be so much better?"
Plasmius tapped his fingertips together, hands steepled. "Oh, gracious. Why not start with how horrible Jack is? I just adore hearing how much everyone loathes that oaf!"
"Alright, now's our chance," Tucker hissed. "We'd better hurry up, we probably only have a few minutes before Danny pukes."
And Wes wouldn't blame him if he did. The intensity with which Plasmius was captivated by Danny's praise was almost sickening. But, at least, the distraction seemed to be doing its job. They needed to capitalize on this opportunity while they still could.
But that still left him with a pretty important question. "Okay, but where do we go? It's just boxes in here, and there's nowhere he could hide dad as far as I can tell."
"You're probably right," Sam agreed. "...Check the floor. Vlad can't resist making secret bases."
It was worth a shot, and seemed as reasonable a place as any. He once again willed the three of them intangible, and slipped through the cracked concrete.
And clearly, Sam's theory wasn't unfounded. The condition of the lower level was much tidier than above despite some disorganization, like everything had been hurriedly slapped together. The trio had found themselves in a drab stone hallway, from which branched the occasional smaller hall. To their right was a dead end, while the left stretched into darkness; their current position was only ambiently lit by a single dangling bulb, flickering like it was on its last legs. If there were any other light sources, they were either too dim to breach the pitch blackness, or they were completely dead.
"...Any sign of clones or cameras?" Sam asked.
Wes shook his head. "I can't sense anyone down here."
Tucker's PDA emitted a sad bloop. "No cameras either, but it's picking up something down that way. The readings indicate it's probably an alarmed door, so I bet that's where your dad is."
"...This all seems too easy," Sam murmured, voicing aloud what they were all thinking. "We're safe for now, but be careful."
"Right." Wes allowed the three of them to become visible for the first time in several minutes, and the relief this brought could be felt like a fist had loosened around his core. "I'll lead the way. We'll wanna see whatever's ahead."
Sam and Tucker took their places behind him, watching the walls like they expected something to jump out at them. Wes, meanwhile, gathered his concentration, focusing his energy into his hand. His aura brightened, then dimmed, with most of it concentrated in his palm. And then finally, it rose to the surface, a tiny orb of light that penetrated the darkness around them. With a bit more effort, the ball rose from his hand completely, bobbing softly as Wes held it out in front of him. He began walking, using the light as a guide.
"Woah," Sam breathed. She and Tucker kept behind him. "How long have you been able to do that?"
"Couple weeks," Wes replied. He kept his gaze trained forward, not wanting to let his concentration break. "Can't do it reliably yet, but it's gotta be better than me lighting myself up and blinding you guys."
"Yeah, I agree. This is a way better alternative to that," said Tucker.
Despite the way the darkness seemed to stretch on forever, it was barely a minute before the trio found the door. It stuck out starkly from the rest of the hall, being entirely composed of heavy, gleaming metal that shimmered blue-green when Wes's light struck it. To the right was a small, square screen, requesting an optical scan. "This has gotta be it," Wes murmured.
"Yup, time to do what I do best," Tucker hummed proudly. After a few button presses to his PDA and then a final flourish, the scanner beeped, the door sliding open without complaint.
Wes glanced the device up and down, brows raised. "...Dang, anything that thing can't do?"
"If there is, I haven't found it yet," Tucker preened.
"Now is not the time to geek out, you two," Sam snapped, leaving them behind to enter the room. Not wanting to leave her alone entirely, Tucker and Wes rushed to follow her inside.
This room was far more polished than the hallway had been, being more reminiscent of the entrance. Frankly, it looked like a scaled down version of the Fenton lab, sans portal. And it contained more deadly-looking tech, and that was saying something.
And right in the center of it was Walter, barely conscious, strapped to what looked like a cliché dissection table that was tilted at a steep angle. He was cuffed down by his wrists and ankles, emerging from the flat face of the table to fasten to each limb. An equally gratuitous laser stemmed from the foot of the table, its tip pointed squarely at Walter's chest. It was inactive, thank Elsewhere.
"Dad!" Mobile light forgotten, Wes dashed towards the table, ready to pry the clamps open by force if he had to.
"Hold on." Sam tugged him back, and he scowled angrily. She scowled right back, pointing a finger. "Look, there's a shield." And, sure enough, when Wes peered closer, there was an odd, swirling green quality to the offending tech, just barely perceptible. "And it probably isn't a regular one, either. Touch it and you're fried."
"As one of the two token humans on this team, allow me." Tucker stepped forwards, breaching the barely-visible deflector with ease. "Now if I can just find the power source... There!" Forgoing the PDA entirely, he instead simply pushed a big green button hidden under the table. With a low hum, the shield powered down, and the clasps withdrew.
Sam and Wes were both there to catch Walter when he slipped, propping him up before he could fall to the floor. "Dad, wake up, can you hear me?" Wes asked worriedly. "Come on, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Walter groaned, his eyes squeezing shut tight before squinting open. He cradled his head, hissing when his hand grazed a bruised bump. He swayed where he sat, still unsteady from his impromptu wake-up. "W... Wesley...? Is that you? And... friends?"
Wes glowered. There should have been no need to hurt him. Overshadowing would have perfectly sufficed, and Vlad had already demonstrated perfect control on that front. Walter would have been completely placated. Wes swore, if Vlad did anything worse than that bump...
"We're here to get you out, Mr. Weston," Tucker stated, pulling Wes out of his souring thoughts.
"Get me out? But..." Walter frowned. "...But you can't be here. That ghost was using me as bait. It isn't safe for you here, any of you."
"Trust me," said Sam, "we have more experience with this kind of thing than you would think. We'll get you out of here safe and sound."
"Besides, Phantom's got him distracted," Wes added, "so now's our chance."
"Oh, I wouldn't say distracted." The Halfa yelped and ducked out of the way as a pink beam sailed by, demolishing a lab table behind him.
Plasmius lowered his hand, still smoking. "Did you really think I would be so foolish as to take Phantom for his word? I did hope dearly, of course, but I knew better than to think you wouldn't come to rescue your precious daddy, with Phantom's help or otherwise."
Wes barely gave him time to finish his sentence. He charged, grappling with the larger ghost to get him away from the door. "Get him out of here!" he barked.
"No, I won't stand for this," Walter ground out, finding his own two feet so he could point a chastising finger to the floor. "I will not allow you to fight such a dangerous ghost on your own, in fact I expressly forbid it—"
"Sorry Mr. Weston," said Tucker, him and Sam shoving him towards the exit, "but you're gonna have to trust us on this one. He'll be fine, and Phantom's still upstairs somewhere."
"But I... He's... Don't I get any say in this?!" Walter's complaints were then drowned out by the door hissing shut behind them.
"Honestly, do you think his escape matters to me?" Vlad asked, unleashing a wave of ectoplasm and forcing Wes to retreat. "I could always do it again, take a few more precautions. Or, I could follow through with my promise, and simply take Daniel by force. Who needs the middle man, anyway? Certainly not me."
Wes saw red. Baring his teeth and gums, he dove, fingers digging into the laser gun that had been, just moments ago, pointed at Walter. Electricity arced and snapped as he pulled, shadows splashing across his face and hair raising menacingly. "You leave him out of this—!"
Vlad darted forwards and grabbed him by the throat, floating upwards and away from the device. "Ah ah ah, I won't be letting you gather up your power so easily."
Wes clawed at the hand against his throat, teeth gnashing at a limb too far away to bite. His tail extended in a last-ditch effort to draw some more of that precious charge, but they were already well out of reach. They passed through the ceiling, and then they were back on the main level. Vlad chucked Wes across the warehouse at Danny, who was still conversing with what had to be the original Vlad. The two collided harshly, barreling through a wooden crate and denting an empty freight car before they collapsed.
Danny was the first one up, grunting with effort, and he knelt to assist Wes in getting to his feet... er, tail. "What? Did my lying really not work?"
"Please, don't patronize me," both Vlads said in unison, merging back into one right after. "With the number of times you've appealed to my paternal side, of course I would grow wise to your antics."
Danny raised his brows. "Oh, paternal? Is that what you're calling it?"
"I'd advise you to close your mouth before I close it for you, brat!" Vlad was in his face in an instant, his fist glowing magenta before he delivered a nasty uppercut. Danny was launched into the air, where a second Vlad was already waiting, hammering him right back down.
Rather than going for this newest attacker, Wes charged at the source, jaws open wide and fingers brandished like claws. Having been more focused on Danny, Vlad shouted in surprise as he was barreled into, thrashing in an attempt to dislodge the younger Halfa. But Wes held fast, tail coiling around Vlad's legs while he delivered blow after blow to his exposed stomach. However, Vlad was virtually unharmed, and he yanked Wes's head back by the hair to throw a punch of his own. His jaw snapped sideways, and Vlad took advantage of his loosened grip by shoving him face first into the concrete floor.
A green ectobeam came Vlad's way, striking him square in the chest and sending him flying back. His duplicate, with a large hole through his middle from the same attack, dispersed in a plume of pink smoke, freeing Danny up to check on his friend. "Yowch, hanging in there?"
Wes didn't verbally reply. He picked himself back up on shaky hands, red pinpricks glaring daggers at Vlad. He spat out a glob of ectoplasm, then peeled his lips back in a manner that wasn't quite a grin.
Danny snorted. "Well. Points for enthusiasm I guess."
Vlad dusted himself off, having finally recovered from the attack. "A cheap blow, and one you won't get away with."
"What, like you're the shining example of a fair fighter?" Danny challenged. He and Wes charged in unison, both of them dodging the laser barrage Vlad launched at them. Danny took to the air, and Wes spiraled between the gaps to once again grapple with Vlad. Only this time he stayed mobile, slithering circles along Vlad's body to avoid his groping hands. Right when it looked like Vlad was going to just blast him off, Wes blared an airhorn sound directly into his ear.
"Gah!" Vlad recoiled, sticking a finger into the canal to try to stave off the ringing. Danny took the chance to manifest dozens upon dozens of ice shards, which he then launched while Wes darted away. Vlad was too distracted to have any hope of getting away in time, but he was able to avoid the brunt of the barrage by ducking and weaving. But despite his efforts, three of them managed to snag his cape and pin him to the floor, one more of them piercing the hem of his glove and two landing between his swept locks.
Danny didn't want to waste this golden opportunity. But this time, the final blow was not his to deal. "Now's your chance, Watt!"
Wes didn't need to be told twice. His tail coiled tightly, and then he was off, leaving a trail of sparks as he prepared his charge. His hands splayed at his sides, fingers hooked, and all it would take to release his charge would be to thrust them forwards and make contact.
"ENOUGH!" A bright pink shockwave rattled the entire building, sending both Danny and Wes helplessly tumbling backwards before skidding to the floor. Vlad was now standing, looking beyond nettled.
"I've about had it with this sad tag team of yours! I think it's about time we finish this, don't you?"
Vlad clenched his fists, a duplicate phasing to each side of him. And then another set, and another, until a line had stretched to each end of the warehouse. The clones all floated up, up, hands spread wide and glowing menacingly. Each and every one was preparing a powerful beam, the oscillating cacophony almost deafening. To be struck by one would be painful enough. But to be hit by every single one was certain not to end well. "Don't you worry, this will only hurt for a moment!"
"...Watt. Get behind me."
Wes blinked, still picking himself up. "...Huh? Why?" There was no way Danny could muster up a big enough shield; he could barely form one to cover his front, but they were practically surrounded. And even if Danny had the strength to muster up a dome, Wes wasn't sure it would stand up to such an onslaught. Not from a ghost like Plasmius, who was probably the only ghost who could consistently overpower Danny.
He didn't think he could do this alone, did he?
"Just get behind me," Danny reiterated, keeping his voice low, "and cover your ears."
Oh. Oh. Oh that made more sense. Wes nodded, slinking back and preparing to block out what he knew would happen next.
And Vlad, it seemed, wasn't clueless, either. "Oh, no you don't!" He tried to muster up his power faster, but he was spread thin. Gathering so much energy between so many clones would take time, time he didn't have.
Danny braced himself, planting both feet solidly on the ground with one behind him. He bowed, arms crossing over his torso. Deep within his core, he growled, almost subsonic at first but gently rising in volume. The air before him distorted, visually and physically, wavering with power that wasn't quite tangible, not quite visible, but was unmistakably present. Everything was condensing to a single point, not in front of Danny, but within him.
And then, he Wailed.
The entire warehouse erupted like a localized hurricane was storming within it, kicking up heavy freight cars like they were toys. Windows and light fixtures shattered at the din, giving way against wave after wave of supercharged ectoplasm. The ground before him tore itself asunder, concrete throwing itself aside in man-sized chunks. The eerie caterwauling was overwhelming, so loud it almost couldn't be heard at all, but even that was dwarfed by the sheer power behind it, leaving nothing in front of him intact.
Vlad could never hope to withstand such an attack. His energy dispersed, and his clones with it, as he struggled to simply stay airborne. And when that failed, he landed, hoping to endure the blast on foot. But the ground shook like the worst of earthquakes, leaving him nothing solid to stand on. He finally succumbed to the shockwave, tumbling backwards until he hit the far back wall. A black ring flickered around his waist, once, twice, but then it faded as Vlad used the last of his strength to simply maintain his form.
Danny knew it was over. He mercifully clamped his jaw shut, silencing his unearthly scream. Vlad, now freed, slumped to the ground, disoriented and completely spent. Danny was in a similar state, lurching as his legs threatened to give out. But to his credit, he remained standing, even though his knees trembled with the effort.
Despite this struggle, he took one shaky step, then another, until he was approaching Vlad in uneasy strides. The older Halfa tried to get up, to drag himself along, anything but to uselessly lay there. But he had used too much energy to just endure the powerful onslaught, and didn't have the strength to stand. Which was why his grin came across as more frightened than confident when Danny lifted him up by the lapels of his cape. "N-Now hold on, surely we can talk this out, right, little badger? Is the offer to join me still on the table?"
Danny didn't answer him, instead choosing to smirk. He tossed a look over his shoulder, that smirk becoming a victorious grin. "Care to do the honors, Watt?"
Boy, did he. Wes's lips peeled back to expose his pointed teeth, his arms wreathed in dancing sparks. He flew forwards, and in that same moment, Danny threw Vlad his way, who was powerless to do anything to stop it.
Wes reeled his fist back, concentrating all of his energy within it. Every last spark retreated, traversing his arm and forcing it to flex. White hot pain bloomed across the entire limb, but Wes grit his teeth and bore it, refusing to let the building energy disperse. All he needed to do was let all of that accumulated power loose.
"This is for taking my dad!"
He threw his fist at lightning fast speed, striking Vlad's face with a resounding crack! For a split second, nobody moved. And then Vlad was flying back, his form a blur as he was sent careening once more into the wall. It, already weakened, cracked on impact, tiny pieces of rubble crumbling to the ground, and Vlad along with them. He was dazed and barely conscious, and no longer able to hold his form, the twin rings finally crossed over his body, leaving the exhausted, pathetic mayor in their wake.
Wes slumped and panted, worn out from his little stunt. At his side, his hand jerked and shook, knuckles bloodied and bruising. But he wasn't through yet, far from it. Despite his weariness, he strode forward, delivering an aggravated kick to Vlad's side.
"Alright, I think he gets it," Danny sniggered, lightly pushing Wes's chest. He didn't try all that hard to separate him and Vlad, but even so Wes got the hint, snorting derisively and halting his attack. "How's your hand doing?"
"It's fine," Wes grunted. He was still glaring daggers at Vlad's prone form, as if he wanted nothing more than to jump him again.
Danny knew that he would have to step in as the responsible one between the two of them. "Come on, let's go make sure Mr. Weston's okay."
"Wait, hold on," Wes stammered out, resisting Danny's attempts to usher him towards the exit. "What about the thermos? Why aren't we trapping him?"
"Because, unfortunately, he's the mayor," Danny replied, pulling a face. "There'd be chaos if we threw him in the Zone. Besides, he's... Well. Let's just say he's got an 'eye for an eye' philosophy. You don't wanna do anything where he'll wanna get even."
Danny didn't have to elaborate. Vlad definitely seemed the vengeful type, and Wes had already seen what he was willing to do without a personal vendetta. Wes shuddered. He didn't want to give Vlad any more reason to pursue him. "...Ugh, fine. Let's just get out of here."
Satisfied that Wes was ready to let things go for the time being, Danny began to lead him towards the exit, shooting Vlad one last wary glance.
But of course, the much older Halfa was never one for a peaceful farewell. "Oh, don't think this is over. You may be a slippery little eel, but that won't save you or your father from my wrath. Don't forget, you never upheld your end of the deal. And you know what that means, don't you?"
Wes whirled on him in an instant. His menacing aura flared, his eyes wild as he lunged for Vlad. This time Danny held him back in earnest, preventing him from throttling the downed mayor. "Let it go. He's just baiting you, he won't dare to try something like that again." He glared. "Not if he knows what's good for him."
Vlad smiled innocently, but anybody that knew him could tell it was an inauthentic expression. Wes certainly held no illusions of his ill intent. He glared, his pupils little more than red beads as he stared the mayor down, hoping to intimidate him into submission. But despite his current disadvantage, that peaceful grin never left Vlad's face.
"...Watt, come on," Danny urged, giving him a couple pats on the shoulder to encourage him. Finally, Wes relented, huffing angrily as he spun on his heel. Danny kept a hand on his back, walking him out of the warehouse.
But not before sneaking one last tiny ectoblast to Vlad's rear.
"YOW!"
Heehee hoohoo Vlad drama go brrrrrr
Well! It's been long enough, Vlad needed to come in and be a jerk. And this time he thought it would be smart to use another ghost boy as leverage XD
Next chapter should be considerably shorter than this one, and is just meant to wrap things up. After that should be a much mellower chapter, but hopefully no less fun to read!